Poutine’s Identity Crisis

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Oh, poutine — that naughty Canadian snack of fries, cheese curds, and gravy, guaranteed to cure a hangover, cause a heart attack, or perhaps both at the same time. These days, a Boston menu without poutine is like Lindsay Lohan without a SCRAM bracelet — an antiquity from more innocent times — but is this necessarily a good thing?

It’s available, in various incarnations, everywhere from The Gallows to All Star Sandwich Bar. But who serves the most authentic version? Is there even such a thing? Stuff scribe MC Slim JB waxes philosophical about the treat, asking, in essence, when does poutine cease being poutine? Can it be fancied up to the point of morphing into something else entirely, what with chefs playing fast and loose with cheese choices, gravy options, and deluxe add-ons? Is it a drunk food or a gourmet indulgence? Ever on point, Slim’s answers might surprise you. [MC Slim JB]